FL S1118

Requires each hospital licensed in Florida to establish a nurse staffing collaborative council by September 1, 2011, with a majority of members being registered nurses currently providing direct patient care.

Council must develop and oversee an annual nurse staffing plan for each patient care unit and shift, considering factors including patient census, acuity levels, skill mix, staff education and experience, unit layout, professional guidelines, and hospital finances.

Chief nurse executive must communicate and collaborate with the council to ensure safe and appropriate implementation of the staffing plan.

Council must conduct semiannual reviews of the staffing plan using patient needs and evidence-based staffing information, including nursing-sensitive quality indicators.

Staffing plan must be reviewed annually with nursing personnel in each unit and made available to the public upon request.